


Newsworthy

by virgo_writer



Category: The Newsroom (US TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-30
Updated: 2013-07-30
Packaged: 2017-12-21 20:35:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 750
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/904627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/virgo_writer/pseuds/virgo_writer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Will had never begrudged Mac's ideals.  Not until this moment.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Newsworthy

Never once (well, not since the Palin incident) has Will begrudged Mackenzie's plans for NewsNight 2.0.  Not once.  He's backed her 100%, even relinquishing the primary debate rather than compromise on her (their) ideals. 

But just this once he really wishes she'd slip. 

"It's not news," she says, her voice quiet and little bit lost. 

He can't help his anger, even if he knows he should reign himself in.  She's upset, and rightly so.  And she's clinging to her ridiculous _Three "I"s_ like its a fuckin' life line.  

"Like hell it's not," he blasts at her, knowing that the harshness of his tone is completely undeserved.  Knowing it's the last thing she needs right now.  She looks broken, and his voice drops to a softer, more gentle tone.  "Kenz, I -"

"It's not news," she says again, plainly. 

He shakes his head, because he absolutely, 100% disagrees with her this time and he's not backing down.  It's Friday night, and they have an hour and a half before his show starts, so he does the only reasonable thing he can think of to do at the moment. 

"Go home, Mackenzie.  You're fired." 

* * *

"I'm what?!" she asks.  A moment ago she'd felt like she was in a fishbowl, like she wasn't even in her own body, just sort of floating above it all.  And all it took was two words from Will to bring her right back down to earth. 

"You can't fire me," she says.  She's affronted, dismayed, shocked, appalled.  There's a whole alphabet of emotions to catalogue. 

"I've got a contract that says I can," he answers offhandedly. 

"Over this?"  Even more affronted now, because what right does he have to argue with her here.  She's pretty sure she's the one with the higher moral ground right now, and no references to past transgressions with Brian Brenner are going to change that.  "It's my - " 

"I've made my decision," he cuts in.  He looks away from her, turns to her Senior Producer, Jim Harper, and waves him over.  "Jim, I need you to arrange a package with graphics . . ." 

He talks lowly as he explains to Jim exactly what she wants, and she can only watch on because that stupid idiot just fired her.  Now, and over this?!  She'd given him 112 good reasons to do so over the last 2 years, but this is the time he decides to enact his stupid million dollar clause. 

Typical Will McAvoy! 

"It's not news," she mutters one last time before walking off.  She knows he heard, but he has no reason to listen to her.  

She hopes he enjoys his freedom.  It's been a long time coming.

* * *

"And finally," Will says, his tone serious and deferent, "tonight we mourn the loss of a great man.  Sir Lawrence McHale, British ambassador, and advisor the UN Security council died this morning. 

"Sir Lawrence battled with  Lou Gehrig's disease for several years, and this morning Sir Lawrence lost that fight," he continues, appropriately somber, words spoken from the heart.  "He has played a key role in British Foreign Policy and in maintaining the United States' relationship with the United Kingdom and it's many outposts.  In 2005, Sir Lawrence was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and later made a member of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth's Order of Merit." 

He pauses, waits as the package he asked Jim to organize runs for 1 minute a 30 seconds.  There's a countdown in his ear, and then he's back on, and its his turn to speak.  He's not sure how he can follow-on from such a great man, one who's death is undoubtedly news, no matter what his EP had to say about it.

"Sir Lawrence will be sorely missed," he says, looking directly down the camera, knowing that Mackenzie McHale, Lawrence McHale's only daughter and youngest child, is sitting in the control room watching. 

"I'm Will McAvoy and this was NewsNight," he says, signing off.  "Keep watching for Terry and the team with the Capital Report." 

 

"You're not really fired," he says once he's given the all clear. 

"I know," she says in his ear, still in the control room evidently.  "And you're not really a jackarse."

 He smiles to himself.  "You didn't call me a jack ass, Kenz." 

"I did in my head," she says, as though that actually makes it matter.  And to Mackenzie he's sure it does. 

"It's not news," she says again, her voice small. 

He shrugs, not arguing this time.  

"But it's important."


End file.
